With
by EpikalStorms
Summary: "I've been standing at the end of the world for centuries. Nobody's ever seen me. Spoken to me. Known that I even existed, after my time. No one came to help me." Join Chronos as he learns how to get back on his feet, fight his inner demons; and the ones on the outside, too. Can he find his stolen soul before it's too late? ON HIATUS(see poll) (Previously "Revenge: Step One")
1. Prolouge

Okay, so maybe standing on the edge of a cliff that was looming over a bottomless pit _wasn't _really the best way to start my morning.

Long story short, I died a _long_ time ago, became immortal, threw a tantrum, created this _lovely _tunnel to the center of the earth, and haven't moved even an inch for a millennium or two.

And I _still_ wasn't over my break-up.

Now, I was angry, bitter, along- all the bad stuff. I _so_ wasn't talking to anyone for the rest of eternity.

Once again, I fail to see the reality of things. Since when did Time ever listen to me?

Since now.


	2. Chapter 1

He sat there, just staring at the ground. He had been like that, unmoving, for a couple of centuries now, and Clockwork had decided that it was time to wake him up.

The ancient ghost stepped forward, tapping the boy lightly on the shoulder. He stiffened, and turned sharply around to face the intruder, a.k.a: Master of Time.

"Wh-who are you? What d-do you want?"

Simple questions. He had heard them many times before.

"I am Clockwork, Master of Time. And you, my young friend, are going to be my apprentice."

He had never had an apprentice, and Clockwork had to admit, he was quite looking forward to the experience.

The teen sat there, face expressionless. "Why me? Why should you pick me, of all people?"

"Because you seem to be the only ghost in the universe, out of all the time streams and dimensions who has any respect for time at all. You are the only one I have observed who seems to realize how important the time streams really are."

He thought about it, then nodded. "Okay, but on one condition."

This surprised Clockwork. "Yes, what is it?"

"I want as much power over time that you have."

Clockwork was all too ready to tell him absolutely not. The time streams were to unstable for there to be two masters-

But the teen looked like a lost puppy. "I mean, not as much as you, _equally_, like, most of the basic stuff. You know, time travel, manipulation. Stuff like that. And I don't have to be a Master, I can just be an Apprentice. Just please, _please_, let me-"

"Alright!" Clockwork couldn't take it any more. "Okay."

The poor boy went paler than a ghost, pun intended. "Wh-What?"

Clockwork sighed. "I agree to your terms."

The teens eyes widened. "Oh, thank you, Master, Thank you! You will not regret it! Never!"

And he didn't, either.


	3. Chapter 2

Master opened a portal into the Ghost Zone. I peered through, seeing green, swirling mist ricocheting off open class shadows. Now, I don't really like portals all that much (for personal reasons, mind you) and I was starting to get a little panicky. "Oh, no. No way am I going in there!"

Master raised an eyebrow. "I do this all the time, to get around. You're going to have to get used to it."

I glowered at him. But who was I to argue? He was _Master_. What he says goes, so...

"_Fine_."

Master smirked. The bastard.

We stepped through the portal. I shut my eyes tightly, taking the deepest breath that my dead lungs had ever held, and subconsciously fastening a death grip on Masters cloak.

Master's eyebrows shot up, before he held me close. We stepped back out of the portal. I looked behind me to see the familiar scene of my to-the-center-of-the-earth tunnel. Master looked at me with a concerned glint in his eyes. "Alright, we don't have to use the portal." My shoulder slumped in relief. "But that means we'll be taking the long way."

I blinked, sucking in a shaky breath. "Oh, joyful. Where to?"

"The Bermuda Triangle."

I blinked again. Hard. "That's more than halfway across the world."

"I know."

"Kay."

Master chuckled darkly. "Oh, and I almost forgot. Here." He pulled out a cloth bundle and handed it to me.

Yay. New clothes.

Without another word, I untied the string and pulled the new outfit on. It was like Master's, except pitch black. Under the shadowy cloak, I wore a black turtle neck, and black cargo pants. The pants actually fit quiet snugly, and hung over (you guessed it) black combat boots. Gloves, which were black as well, covered my hands. The cloak was clipped just before my collar bone by a gear shaped pendant, which had the initials _C.W._ Embossed on it. _Master's name..._

The only part of me actually visible now was the lower half of my face. My skin was a dark-ish (but not _too_ dark) olive tone. There were three slanted scars that glowed a faint blow, arranged across my left cheek bone in such a way it appeared that I had been viciously clawed by a demon. Which I _had_ (long story, _don't_ feel like telling it. _Ever_).

I looked up calmly at Master, who stood with his arms crossed. "Thank you."

He held up a finger. "Not just yet."

Reaching into a nearby rift, he pulled out a sleek, black scythe. My eyes widened. "Whoa..."

He tossed it to me, and my weak, trembling hands just barely catching hold of it. Immediately, it shifted into a long, black staff, with a silver, pulsing orb held by a simple claw at the top. I tilted my head in awe. "This... is _mine_?"

Master nodded. "To make it a scythe once more, all you must do is pour some of your won energy into the staff. Just a small amount. The more energy you give it, the more powerful it will become. Don't feed it too much, understand?"

I blinked, nodding slowly. Concentrating, ever so gently, I finally achieved in bringing out the scythe again. I gave Master a feeble grin. "Awesome."

Master cast me a firm nod. "Now we can go."

**- - C*W - -**

I peered into the archway, listening as Master told me what to do. "Now, Chronos, you mustn't speak at all as we travel to my lair. The Ghost Zone isn't ready to meet you and, quite frankly, I don't believe you're ready to meet the Ghost Zone. Understand?"

I nodded quickly. "Oh, certainly Master!"

In the archway (which was in a cave, which was in a cliff, which was in a mountain, which was in the ocean, which was in the Bermuda Triangle, which was in Bermuda—just thought you might like to know) swirled a foreboding, green-tinted and shadowy world. Unknown in every way to me. But that was fine, because Master would keep me safe.

I took a deep breath, a gave Master a firm nod. "Ready."

Together, we soared headfirst into the Ghost Zone. My new home.

**- - C*W - -**

everything in the Ghost Zone was completely normal, at the moment. Johnny 13 sped around on his motorcycle, his Shadow looming behind, and his girlfriend, Kitty, clinging happily to his back. They passed Ember McLaine's lair, and Kitty sent a wave in greeting to her best friend.

Ember grinned, waving back, before snuggling closer to her huntsman boyfriend, Skulker.

Over on the Ghostwriter's Library's front steps, Spectra, Bertrand, and Nocturne played a (friendly) game of poker.

Amorpho zoomed around in circles to avoid being caught in the jaws of a yipping demon puppy (hound, at the moment), Cujo, while playing Keep Away with the glowing mutt's squeaky toy.

Princess Dora and her brother, Arragon, sat out on the patio of an abandoned-looking diner, out-besting each other at a game of sibling rivalry(chess). Youngblood stood behind them, shouting out random war cries as he narrated the game, his skeletal parrot squawking big (and useless) words from his shoulder. Sydney Poindexter sat next to him, trying desperately to shut the two up.

Somewhere to everyone's left, the large Behemoth napped peacefully, curled around the Ghost King's lost skeleton key.

A black and white blur flashed past, and twenty-four year-old half-ghost Phantom chased his twin sister, Phantasm, yelling for the slightly smaller girl to give the "stupid thermos" back to him.

Technos reclined in a beach chair, outside of his arcade, reading the GhostNews on his Kindle, while his wife, Marcial, knitted a pair of socks for their two-month old son, Techneil, or Neil.

The Box Ghost hovered over the local store, waiting with a growing pile of shopping bags for his wife, the Lunch Lady, and their daughter, BoxLunch, to be finished. They were trying to buy enough meat to last until their son, LunchBox, was born.

The FrightKnight was snowboarding with the Far Frozen, down the steep Snow Flats of the blizzarding wastelands. Currently, Frostbite was wining their race.

Suddenly, Embers amplified, musical voice sounded in all their ears. "Hey, Dipsticks! If you don't—_Ohmygosh!_ Clockwork, hiiiiiii!"

everyone instantly stopped whatever they were doing to crowd around the infamous Master of Time.

"Hi, Clockwork! What brings you to this part of the GZ?"

"Clockwork, what are you doing here, sir?"

"Master of Time! Welcome!"

"Is something gonna happen?"

Clockwork chuckled. "No, nothing is going to happen. Not yet, anyway. I am just on my way back from a... slight job. I had to take the long way home."

"From where?" Ember blinked, and everyone finally noticed the very mysterious, new looking specter hovering close to Clockworks side. "And who's that?"

"Mexico." Clockwork supplied. "And this is my apprentice, Chronos."

Ember's, along with all the others', eyes widened dramatically. "An _Apprentice_! Whoa, he must be, like, _crazy_ powerful!"

The young rock star turned to that black-clad figure, sticking out her hand in welcome. "Hi, my name's Ember McLaine. It's a _huge_ honor, meeting you!"

After a brief exchange with Clockwork, Chronos reached out a black gloved hand, giving hers a firm shake. He nodded at her, before letting go.

Ember blinked, suddenly embarrassed. "Uh, don't talk much?" She gave a nervous laugh. "It's okay, I understand if you don't like to..."

He tilted his head, rather _cutely_,before giving a small shrug to answer her question. Then, he glanced back at the Master of Time, who was still in a large blob of ghostly fans.

Clockwork stepped up, then. "Chronos if from a rather long time ago. He isn't used to speaking that much."

Ember looked at the Apprentice in awe. "Is he as old as _you_, Master of Time?"

The purple-clad specter gave her a mysterious smile, one that made them wonder even more about this new, shadowy character. "Not quite."

Skulker shifted nervously. "Not quite? What does that mean, sir? Is he an Ancient, like you?"

Ember, Spectra, Kitty, and Phantasm all felt their hearts flutter slightly. _Too bad Desiree's not here to see this..._

Clockwork just smiled again. "It is time for us to leave. My apologies."

Phantom was insistent. "Oh, it's nothing terrible, Clockwork! It always is a pleasure to see you again."

Clockwork smiled at his grown charge. "And you as well, Daniel. But Chronos and I really must be going."

"That's alright, sir. It was nice talking with you!" All the other ghosts waved farewell, before watching them leave in awed silence.

**There it is. My first, actual chapter. I love how it's starting out.**

**I did a pic on the closest thing I could imagine Chronos to look like. You can find it here, at scy lardl acon. Deviant art g allery/#/d52g1gb**

**I hope it all showed up... ^ ^**

**Thanks, **

**EpikalStorms**

**(Storm)**


	4. Chapter 3

I liked Master's home. It was nice, and quiet. It had many scrying mirrors to look upon the time streams hanging from the walls in the front room. It also had many floors. Seventy, to be exact, or so he told me.

Master lead me to the eleventh floor. "This floor will be yours. Your personal quarters."

My expression brightened. Eleven was my _favorite_ number. I had absolutely no idea why this was, the the fact remained prominent. Of course, Master must have known this. Master knows everything.

The eleventh floor was almost like a checkerboard. Every other room was all white or silver, and all the rooms between those were black. The furniture in the black rooms was silver, and the furniture in the white rooms was black. The large hallway that ran through the center of the floor, adjourning all the rooms, was half white, half black. The doors for the black rooms were white, and the doors leading to the white rooms were black. At one end of the hallway, the northern end, a white staircase spiraled up, and a black staircase spiraled down at the opposite end, the southern side.

I sighed, completely content with the balance of shades. No grays. Perfect. I detested grays. They were neutral. I liked my world in black and white.

I nodded at my Master. "Thank you."

He nodded. "Of course. All is as it should be."

I loved it when he said that.

"Chronos, I am going to the first floor, to have a meeting with some Observants. I must not be disturbed, understand?" I nodded quickly. By his tone, I could tell that Master did not like these "Observants", whoever they were. I he didn't, neither did I. "Good. I will explain to you about the Observants once I am finished. Why don't you explore the tower, until that time comes?"

I nodded. "Most certainly, Master."

He nodded once more, and disappeared through a giant clock. I _had_ to learn how to do that. It wasn't like a portal. It was more of a doorway. A solid, tangible doorway you could touch and feel.

I decided to follow Masters suggestion. This is what I found out:

Floor #1: Master's study. Keep out, at the moment.

Floor #2: This floor was just a very long hallway filled with scrying mirrors. Spares, perhaps?

Floor #3: There were only four rooms on this floor. One held clocks, seemingly from every era in time imaginable. The second was filled to the brim with spiritual energy. Portals glowed on every space of wall there was. I politely skipped that one, slamming the door shut loudly. The third appeared to be a messy gear closet. The fourth had more scrying mirrors. Maybe if the second floor ones broke... Well, you couldn't be too careful, could you?

Floor #4: Rec room. One side of the hallway was a rather large gymnasium. The other half was separated into two rooms. One held an air hockey table, a pool table, and many other fun items. The other room was a miniature golf course.

Floor#5: Half the floor was a pool, that joined with a hot tub which took up one fourth of the other half. The last space was a steam room. Cool.

Floor #6: It appeared to be a science lab of some sort. I decided not to dwell, crossing to the other side of the floor immediately, trying my best to avoid all sharp, for-cutting objects. They made me jumpy...

Floor #7: Mice. In cages. Lots of them. I literally ran to the staircase at the end of the room.

Floor #8: Snakes. I stopped here, taking a break. I loved _snakes_. They were beautiful, scaled reptiles, and were fast, agile, and accurate in their hunts.

Glancing around, I stepped up to a cage. It held a black snake with solid silver eyes. It looked like an anaconda, but much smaller, like the size of a corral snake, but without any marking whatsoever. I wonder if it was venomous...

I caught the intelligent gleam in it's eyes as the reptile looked up at me with interest. Without another thought, I lifted the lid off the glass tank. The snake hissed happily as I held it in a tight fist, watching it whip around and twist it's well-muscled body. I set it on my shoulder and watched as it wrapped itself gently around my neck like a chain, resting it's head in the hollow of my collar bones.

"I am going to name you Shadow. Is that alright?" I asked it, after a moments thought.

Somehow, I wasn't too surprised when it hissed back at me, and I heard a smooth, echoic voice sound in my mind. _"Well, I like it. Agreed."_

I smiled happily.

Floor #9: The kitchen. A white tiled room with silver cabinets, purple walls, and a large, long, black dining table. I grabbed a kiwi from the large white bowl full of exotic fruits from every era of time, and all over the world, and then fed Shadow some chili. Apparently, he's rather taken with the dish.

Floor #10: This was a strange room. It was filled to the brim with blankets, pillows, and Temperpedic foam mattresses. I played Hide and Seek with Shadow for a while before moving on.

Floor #11: Mine. I took the time to choose a room. The largest one in the center of the black-sided Hallway. It was a solid white room, with a white framed, king-sized bed that sported black sheets and pillows. A large black dresser stood on the opposite side of the room. I set down the glass of water I had taken from the Kitchen on the black nightstand. I could come back for it later.

Floor #12: This was Master's quarters. I decided not to mess with anything. He might get angry with me. Shadow agreed. I didn't want master to be mad at me.

Floor #13: This floor held filing cabinets. After some digging around, I found a profile on every ghost in the Zone, and even some information on some of the more ancient areas of the dimension. After a while, I got bored, and my legs had fallen asleep from sitting in one position for two long.

Floor #14: This floor confused me greatly. A very large, purple tube spiraled down from the ceiling in one corning, did a few loops around the large, darkened room, then disappeared again into the wall on the opposite end. The tube glowed slightly with light, and I could hear the sound of rushing water, like a waterfall, inside of the tube. I cast Shadow a puzzled look when he hissed in confusion, before shrugging and moving. on.

Floor #15: This floor made so much sense of the one below it. I walked past the gaping mouth of a huge, high-tech looking water slide. It probably ran the whole length of the Tower before dropping out into the pool on Floor #5. Brilliant.

Floor #16: A movie theater. Black leather recliners with a huge popcorn machine off the the back of the room. Only kettle corn. My _favorite_.

Floor #17: This floor was a huge armory. With swords. And guns. And grenades. And scythes, and spears, and javelins, and daggers, and slingshots, and every other type of weapon you could _imagine_.

Floor #18: An art studio. Paint, clay, blank canvases, marble, stone, jewels, chistles, brushes, welding torches. You name it. It's there.

Floor #19: A huge office with high-tech, state of the art computers, and laptops. And nooks. And Kindles. Ipods, I-Phones that I'm sure haven't even come out yet in the present time. Heaven for Geeks. Wi-Fi included. Awesome.

Floor #20: A giant library. Imagine the national one Washington D.C, North America. With books. On _**everything**_. 'Nuff said.

I decided this was where I would stop for the day. Seventy floors was a lot to go through, and even though I had all the time in the world, I didn't want to see them all at once. Doing nothing for a few eons, centuries, millennium, and then suddenly go somewhere that has everything in the world that you've missed _while_ you were doing nothing... Well, it gets pretty overwhelming.

Anyway, Master was probably done with his meeting anyway.

I giggled, chasing Shadow back down to Floor #15, where the mouth of the waterslide loomed. We both looked at each other.

Shadow blinked. _"I am not a water snake..."_

I stared back at him. "I know..."

He hissed. _"Well then..."_ Suddenly, Shadow grew, morphing into a completely pitch black, humanoid, tangible shadow. He look like a ninja. He wore a black cloak like mine, with the silver _**C.W**_ engraved on it. His silver eyes gleamed over at me.

I breathed in sharply. "Brilliant."

His voice was audible this time, but still sounded the same, smooth, echoic tone it had before. _"Shall we?"_ He held out a hand.

I grinned, grabbing it. We both jumped in.

**- - C*W - -**

I sat in a patio chair on the fifth floor, waiting for Chronos and his new friend to come down.

There was a loud splash, and I suppressed a quiet chuckle. I leaned back, my eyes closed, as my Apprentice flew out of the water and grabbed a towel, wringing out his soaked cloak. After a moment or two, he gave up and went intangible, letting the water fall back into the pool below him.

I smirked as Shadow the... _shadow_khan went intangible as well. He stretched silently before joining Chronos at the food bar. The two friends caught up in a quiet discussion.

**All is as it should be.**


End file.
